Volunteering: as a lower-upper-middle-class kid with a huge sense of entitlement, it was a departure for me to contemplate an exchange that was so seemingly one sided. Fortunately for me, my sense of adventure triumphed over my cynical complacency, and I decided to volunteer on organic farms while I traveled Western Europe.
The WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) organization is based on a simple concept: volunteers provide labour and in return hosts put a roof over their heads and feed them.
I chose to volunteer with WWOOF for a number of disjointed reasons. I wanted to see the European countryside, and not just the cities. I wanted to learn about food production and organic agriculture. I wanted to learn traditional cooking; I wanted to extend my vacation without extending my budget. I wanted to meet people while traveling.
I had never participated in the food cycle other than as a consumer. I had lost all connection with rural life. I approached work as a purely financial transaction, devoid of any intangible reward. I drastically overvalued my labour. I had never felt any gratitude from an employer. I had never taken pride in my work or done more than was asked of me.
WWOOFing changed all of that for me, and connected me to a sense of community, camaraderie, and fulfillment that I had never known in my life.
I have collected a little wisdom to pass along through my experiences and errors with the WWOOF program – a few tips I wish I had considered before I started.
This is not a cautionary tale, but you should know what you’re getting into.
Bring suitable clothes, sturdy footwear, a hat, and rugged but comfortable gloves.
Research. Spend a lot of time going through the list of possible farms, and pay close attention to their language and self-description.
Know what you want from your hosts and their farm. Are you looking for a youthful and lively experience or a quiet and introspective environment? What kind of farming are you interested in? Are you interested in participating in a start-up project or an established farm? What do you want to learn? Would you like to stay on a farm with other WWOOFers or by yourself?
What will be expected of you, and can you handle the workload? This point is crucially important. Know that it is a challenge and a burden to host WWOOFers – volunteers must provide a lot of work to make the trouble of cooking and providing for guests a profitable endeavour.
How long do you plan to stay with your host? Farms are complicated places, and teaching is a taxing and time consuming process; most farms have an expectation for you to stay to the point where you are contributing and not hindering. Investing the time to learn a farm’s system and routine will make your stay more rewarding for you and your host.
Always, always, have an escape plan. This isn’t as dramatic as it sounds, and it’s vitally important. Don’t go to a farm without giving someone you trust the host’s contact information – this is just common sense. Bring contact information for other farms in the area. Take all the contact information available, a lot of farms don’t have an internet connection and don’t respond quickly to email. This will make it easier to leave the farm if you need.
Remember that it’s in both your and your hosts’ best interest to have a happy and productive relationship, which is why early contact is so vital. It’s worth the time to ensure that you have the best chance for compatibility. Don’t be afraid to leave a farm you are uncomfortable with, or are not enjoying. WWOOFing should be rewarding, not depressing.
Don’t get taken advantage of. WWOOFing is a reciprocal relationship. WWOOFing attracts generous and compassionate people as both hosts and volunteers, but it is easy to take advantage of first-time volunteers – particularly if language and culture is a barrier. Do not pay to volunteer. If you’re being asked for money – for food, laundry, anything – leave. Do not allow yourself to be put in an uncomfortable situation.
There are bad farms out there. Through my experience, and the recounted experiences of the friends I met while WWOOFing, I know this to be true. Don’t be discouraged by a bad experience – I didn’t meet a single WWOOFer without one under his or her belt.
The evenings of good food and good drink after a hard day under the sun were possible only because of research, perseverance, and dedication to an ideal.
Whether headed overseas or not, cultural exchange and forging connections is a big part of what makes WWOOFing a unique and rewarding experience. Keep an open mind, try new things, challenge yourself, and be prepared to meet some characters.
I’m forever grateful I did.
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